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19 And it came about while Rav Apollos was in Corinth that Rav Sha’ul traveled through the upper regions and arrived at Ephesus, finding some of [Moshiach’s] talmidim there.

And Rav Sha’ul said to them, "Did you receive the Ruach Hakodesh when you came to emunah?" But they said to Rav Sha’ul, "But we never heard that there is a Ruach Hakodesh!"

And Rav Sha’ul said, "Into what then were you given tevilah?" And they said, "Into the tevilah of Yochanan."

And Rav Sha’ul said, "Yochanan gave a tevilah of teshuva to the people, saying that they should have emunah in Hu HaBah [Moshiach], the one coming after him, that is, in Yehoshua." [Lk 3:16]

And having heard this, they were given Moshiach’s tevilah of teshuva in haShem of the Moshiach Adoneinu Yehoshua.

And when Rav Sha’ul placed his hands upon them, the Ruach Hakodesh came upon them, and they were speaking in leshonot and they were speaking dvarim hanevu’ah.

And the anashim were about sheneym asar in number.

And having joined the minyan at the shul, Rav Sha’ul was speaking with ometz lev during the course of shloshah chodashim, debating and persuading concerning the things of the Malchut Hashem.

But when some unbelievers in the shul were being hardened and were disobeying, speaking Chillul Hashem of the Derech Hashem before the multitude, Rav Sha’ul withdrew from them. Rav Sha’ul took the Moshiach’s talmidim and yom yom was saying shiurim in the [Messianic] yeshiva of Tyrannus.

10 And this happened over a period of two years with the intended result that all the ones inhabiting [the Roman Province of] Asia heard the dvar Hashem, both Yehudim and Yevanim.

11 And gevaltike moftim and niflaot Hashem effected at the hands of Rav Sha’ul,

12 so that when a handkerchief or an apron touched the skin of Rav Sha’ul and was brought to the cholim, the machlot (sicknesses) and the shedim (demons) left them.

13 And some traveling Jewish exorcists attempted to use haShem of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Adoneinu Yehoshua over the ones possessed of ruchot ra’ot, saying, "I exorcize and cast you out by the Yehoshua whom Rav Sha’ul preaches!"

14 And there were doing this very thing shivat banim of a certain Skeva, a Jewish "Kohen Gadol."

15 And in reply the ruach hara’ah (the shed, demon) said to them, "I am acquainted with Yehoshua, I have da’as of Sha’ul, but, you, who are you?!"

16 And the ish in whom was the ruach hara’ah leaped upon them and subdued all [shivah] of them, and overpowered them, so that they fled, naked and wounded, from the bais.

17 And this became known to all the Yehudim and also the Yevanim inhabiting Ephesus, and pachad (terror) fell upon all of them, and they were exalting haShem of Adoneinu Yehoshua.

18 And many of the ones having come to emunah were making vidduy of their ma’asim, disclosing them.

19 And a number of the ones who had practiced kishshuf (magic, sorcery) brought together their occult sfarim and were burning them publicly; and they added up the price of these occult sfarim, and they found it to be fifty thousand silver pieces.

20 So the dvar Hashem, the Besuras HaGeulah, was growing with ko’ach and was prevailing.

21 And when these things were fulfilled, Rav Sha’ul resolved in his ruach to travel through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Yerushalayim, saying "After I have gone there, it is necessary for me also to see Rome."

22 So Rav Sha’ul sent to Macedonia two of the mesharetim (ministers, servants) with him‖Timotiyos and Erastus, while he stayed a little while longer in [the Province of] Asia.

23 Now during that time there was no small disturbance concerning the Derech Hashem.

24 For a certain one, Demetrius by name, a silversmith and maker of silver idol shrines for Artemis, was providing no small revach (profit) for the craftsmen.

25 Demetrius also assembled the craftsmen occupied with that trade and he said, "Anashim, you have da’as that our prosperity is from this trade,

26 "And you see and hear that not only here in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Rav Sha’ul has persuaded and drawn away a large multitude saying, ‘Elilim made with human hands are not Elohim.’ [Dt 4:28; Ps 115:4; Isa 44:10-20; Jer 10:3-5]

27 "And this is not only a danger to us, that our part, our trade, will fall into disrepute, but also the temple of the elah hagedolah Artemis may be considered as nothing, and also may be about to suffer the loss of her majesty, which all Asia and the Olam Hazeh worship."

28 And having listened and having become full of ka’as, the idol makers were crying out, saying, "Gedolah is Artemis of the Ephesians!"

29 And the city was filled with tohu, and they rushed with one impulse into the theater, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, who were Macedonians and traveling fellow po’alim of Rav Sha’ul.

30 And Rav Sha’ul desired to enter into the crowd in the theater, but the talmidim were not allowing him.

31 And also some of the Asiarchs who were his chaverim, sent to him, begging him not to venture into the theater.

32 Then some began shouting one thing, some another, in the theater, for the kahal was in confusion, and most had no da’as of the purpose of the kahal (assembly).

33 And from the multitude Alexander was pushed forward by Yehudim and some prompted him with shouts, while Alexander waved his hand, wanting to defend himself to the kahal.

34 But having known what the man was, that he was a Yehudi, all in the theater shouted in unison for lav davka two hours crying out, "Gedolah is Artemis of the Ephesians."

35 And the town clerk, when he had restrained the crowd, said, "Anashim, citizens of Ephesus, who indeed is there among Bnei Adam who does not have da’as that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of the tzelem (image) that fell from Shomayim?

36 "Since these things are undeniable, it is necessary for you to calm down and to do nothing reckless.

37 "For you brought these anashim here who are neither temple robbers nor speakers of evil against our religion.

38 "Therefore, if Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a tainah (grievance) against anyone, the civil courts are in session and there are proconsuls. Let it be there that they bring charges against one another.

39 "And if you seek anything further, let your settlement be obtained in the lawful assembly.

40 "For indeed we are in danger of being indicted for an intifadah (uprising) today, for there is no justification we can render to excuse this disorder and commotion."

41 And having said these things, the town clerk dismissed the kahal (assembly).

Paul in Ephesus

19 While Apollos(A) was at Corinth,(B) Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus.(C) There he found some disciples and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit(D) when[a] you believed?”

They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?”

“John’s baptism,” they replied.

Paul said, “John’s baptism(E) was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.”(F) On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.(G) When Paul placed his hands on them,(H) the Holy Spirit came on them,(I) and they spoke in tongues[b](J) and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all.

Paul entered the synagogue(K) and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God.(L) But some of them(M) became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way.(N) So Paul left them. He took the disciples(O) with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10 This went on for two years,(P) so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia(Q) heard the word of the Lord.(R)

11 God did extraordinary miracles(S) through Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured(T) and the evil spirits left them.

13 Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits(U) tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus(V) whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15 One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” 16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

17 When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus,(W) they were all seized with fear,(X) and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. 18 Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. 19 A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.[c] 20 In this way the word of the Lord(Y) spread widely and grew in power.(Z)

21 After all this had happened, Paul decided[d] to go to Jerusalem,(AA) passing through Macedonia(AB) and Achaia.(AC) “After I have been there,” he said, “I must visit Rome also.”(AD) 22 He sent two of his helpers,(AE) Timothy(AF) and Erastus,(AG) to Macedonia, while he stayed in the province of Asia(AH) a little longer.

The Riot in Ephesus

23 About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way.(AI) 24 A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. 25 He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: “You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business.(AJ) 26 And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus(AK) and in practically the whole province of Asia.(AL) He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all.(AM) 27 There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.”

28 When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”(AN) 29 Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius(AO) and Aristarchus,(AP) Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia,(AQ) and all of them rushed into the theater together. 30 Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples(AR) would not let him. 31 Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater.

32 The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another.(AS) Most of the people did not even know why they were there. 33 The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander to the front, and they shouted instructions to him. He motioned(AT) for silence in order to make a defense before the people. 34 But when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”(AU)

35 The city clerk quieted the crowd and said: “Fellow Ephesians,(AV) doesn’t all the world know that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven? 36 Therefore, since these facts are undeniable, you ought to calm down and not do anything rash. 37 You have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed temples(AW) nor blasphemed our goddess. 38 If, then, Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen(AX) have a grievance against anybody, the courts are open and there are proconsuls.(AY) They can press charges. 39 If there is anything further you want to bring up, it must be settled in a legal assembly. 40 As it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of what happened today. In that case we would not be able to account for this commotion, since there is no reason for it.” 41 After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 19:2 Or after
  2. Acts 19:6 Or other languages
  3. Acts 19:19 A drachma was a silver coin worth about a day’s wages.
  4. Acts 19:21 Or decided in the Spirit